How investing in Project Noah may have saved National Geographic’s business – with Project Noah co-founder Yasser Ansari

This is part 2 of our 3 part episode with Project Noah founder Yasser Ansari. In part 1 we dove into the inspiration behind starting the company leading up to the investment from National Geographic Magazine.

Continuing the conversation, this segment starts with the massive transformational shift that brought Project Noah and National Geographic together. This is a fascinating look into the thinking of a 150+ year old company as they try to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world – all from the perspective of the company that could become the next National Geographic. The take away is that the small investments that larger companies are doing in startups are a form of experimentation as they search for their next business model. The smart ones realize their businesses are undergoing massive disruption as a result of mobile and they need to find a way to stay better connected to customers.

This segment also explores the intense focus needed for mobile startups. The potential to be all things to everyone is very real right now and the savvy entrepreneur needs to find a spot that fills a need and be able to articulate that clearly. You’ll hear how Yasser tackles that challenge and for good reason.

Enjoy!

About Yasser Ansari Yasser Ansari studied molecular biology and bioinformatics at U.C. San Diego and spent time researching plant genomics at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. After the lab, he moved into the wireless industry where he helped design and develop hand-held radiation detectors, gaming accessories, and new mobile software at companies including Kyocera, Qualcomm, and Peek. He earned his Master’s degree from NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program and holds several technology patents.

About the author

Rob Woodbridge

I'm Rob, the founder of UNTETHER.tv and I've spent 14 years immersed in the mobile and pervasive computing world. During this great time I've helped some of the most innovative companies grow their business through mobile. If you are in need of a mobile business advisor or coach, connect with me here to get things rolling.